Well, we had our Town Board meeting last night and, during our work session, prior to the televised portion of the meeting, I tried to introduce a motion that would have permitted the public to address us at the beginning of our meetings rather than have to wait for the end in order to speak. I was proposing a 1-3 minute time limit, depending on the number of speakers that wanted to address us prior to the meeting, and no limit for those at the end of the meeting. No other Town Board member was willing to second my motion so that "ended" the discussion. The Town Supervisor indicated that if anyone requested speaking time before one of our meetings, she was inclined to grant them permission. She would grant them time after any already scheduled Public Hearings. To further enhance public communication with The Board she also suggested that The Council, as part of their Council Remarks, at the end of the meeting could report any e-mail correspondence they might have received since our last meeting. Of course, by that time it's usually close to 11:00pm and since we usually start our work sessions at 5:00 we are all pretty tired and anxious to conclude the meeting. Not likely to embark on any kind of in-depth discussion.
Regarding the Tree Law revision, we decided to take it back to the drawing board and see if we couldn't come up with something more workable and less restrictive, while still protecting valuable species. Hopefully we'll come up with something we can all live with. No one wants to adopt unenforceable "feel good" laws but I still feel strongly that we can and should do something to protect the character of our neighborhoods and help our tree population thrive. I think there is a consensus on The Board for us to do this.
posted by Ernie Odierna @ 7:57 PM
2 Comments:
An excellent and politically courageous action and blog posting. We’ll have wait to see if there are attempts to close the blog. The posting demonstrates that there is too little interest among our “local leaders” in hearing from those the Town Board is to serve. It demonstrates the significant inadequacy of the current situation where only selected portions of the Town Board meetings are broadcast while significant discussions among the Board members are often outside of camera-time. At least it will be known to some, as the story has been related, through the power of the internet. Presumably, as it is indicated that the motion was made, the actions reported also will be memorialized in the Minutes of the Meeting required in NY. When those are read, hopefully some among our Board will ask for an opportunity to reconsider their action. Government of the people is not a show, and transparency in government must be based not simply on a bare bones reading of the laws but rather must give reasonable effect to the laws’ intent and greater regard for the governed. It appears that we bear the significant expense of very local government but less of the benefit of the supposed access to our most local of leaders, nor do they benefit from the thoughts of the community. Councilman Odierna is to be commended for trying to draw back the curtain. If the Board’s position remains unchanged, voters will have much to do at the next Town election. For now, at least we’ve seen the misplaced curtain.
You previously raised the question about anonymous and pseudononomous postings. This is an issue that sometimes seems to be almost universal, since the beginning of “blogs” and electronic journalism, with some strong opinions on both sides. In earlier times, printed newspapers sometimes required receipt of identified letters but some could be published with “Name Withheld”. The merit of both sides will likely continue to be argued for time to come. To many, ideas are to be preferred regardless of their source and some even prefer the source not be known as the idea can be considered with independence. But, ironically, it seems that many Town Board members prefers that their own opinions, as they express them in discussions at meetings not be known easily, not be shown on TV. Didn’t some of them complain of the absence of privacy in casting their votes with the newly introduced system last Fall, although probably any votes they received were accepted, privacy or not. As to the frustrated, if they don’t bring thought, either ignore them or try the method of one of our legislators, who on the internet, invited an unidentified commenter to coffee.
As truly open discussion is apparently not possible within the confines of Town Board procedure, it argues that it can be better carried on here and in other internet venues. You’ve raised an important issue in your proposal and discussion about trees. The issue places individual rights we value against the maintaining of the life of the community in a manner many value. Extremes rarely work and common sense cannot be legislated. But the heart of the matter appears to be one that has been resolved, with some difficulty, elsewhere, and from which we might learn. It appears to be in the concept of “historic preservation”, that certain buildings, landscapes and objects be protected for their value to our society. As the benefit of such is shared, so must be its cost. As we approach the 350th anniversary of our Town, perhaps it might be a fitting endeavor to start a project to identify that which we as a community considering deserving such protection, remembering that whether by direct dollar payments, awarding of air-rights for building, or other compensation, the Town or other organizations, rather than specific individuals must be expected to bear both the initial and on-going costs of such preservation. Seemingly, a fair balance potentially achieved.
andrewbarovick said:
Isn’t it time that Ernie and other local politicians address the problems locals are having getting in and out of NYC on Metro North’s New Haven Line? There would be little money to spend in town if our commuters weren’t traveling into NYC to earn it. Despite the difficulties imposed on our commuters by MNR’s abominable “service,” none of our government representatives have spoken out about it. How about it, Ernie?
(posted February 08, 2011 @ 1:20 pm )
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